Automobile-curtain



S.-A. GATES.

AUTOMOBILE CURTAIN. APPLIICATION FILED DEC. 7. 1-918.

Patented Sept. 21,1920.

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(1 mm on v0 S. A. GATES.

AUTOMOBILE CURTAIN. APPLICATION mgo DEC. 7, 1.91s.

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" synvnscunnn en'rn s, or nn'raorr, ronieruv.

tainnew and useful Improvements in Automobile-Curtains, of. which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

' My invention aims to provide an automobileside curtain that -may beadvantageously used in connection witha collapsible or foldable top to cooperatewiththe top, when raised or in an active position, in

providing an inclosure for the occupants of an automobile, the inclosure having large rollable curtains, somewhat similarto curtain shade rollers, that permit of a desired degree of ventilation anddo not obstruct the vision nor impair the general appearance of'the automobile or the top.

My invention further aims to provide automobile side curtains that may be in stalled to provide'a wmter top, andthe s de curtains are constructed so that the same may be easily and quickly installed without necessarily changing any part of an automobile body or the collapsible top carried thereby. In constructingthe side curtains provisionhas been made to positively exelude air drafts when the curtains are closed and also to insure an easy operation of the curtains without any danger of the curtains buckling or being injured.

My invention further aims to provide side curtains that are applicable to various types of automobiles and these curtains will' be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be hadto the ings, wherein Figure 1 1s a,

F1gl2 is a" horizontal sectionalview of one. of the side cur'tains;

g. 3 is avertica-l cross, sectional View. of

thesamey' 'TFig. ishowsperspective 'viewsof a joint adaptedito be established between a front AUTOMOBILE-CURTAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patefltedsepfi, Application filed December 7, 1918. SerialNo. 265,699;

and State of Michigan, have invented cer-' I partly in section, and

draw-.

longitudinal sectional view of aportion of an automobile having a. topp'rovlded with side curtams n accordance Fig. 5 shows similar views of tfjtaiti adapted to be established between t'lie top is rail and an intermediate rail;

Fig. 6 showssimilar views of the -joint adapted to be establishedjbetweenthe top rail and a rear-rail; 1

Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross sectionalview of the top rail; r V) Fig. 8 is aside elevation of a'portioneof v a curtain shade, partly broken away and Fig.0 is a horizontal sectional :view of; the, top rail, 1

In describing my invention by aid 'of'the views above r'eferredto I'desire to point out that the same are intended as merely illustrative of the'automobile side curtains as .now in use, and I do not care toconfine my invention-to the precise construction and. arrangement of parts shown, other than" thatdefined by the appended claims.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 denotes an automobilebody having a wind-7 shield 52 and a collapsible -or.foldablegtop 3, said topincluding a front bow 41, anout-J riggerbow 5, a. rearbow' 6 and an inclined.

bow 7, all ofthesebows cooperating in supporting the usual cover or canopy with said front and rear bows I supported by side irons so that the top may be collapsed or set up;

vided with the windshield 2 and top 3 from an open to aclosed car, I provide side cur-1 tains and as th same are identical in design and construction, I deem it only necessary to describe one ofthe curtains, it being understood that two are used. The equipment for each side of mobile comprisesa top rail v9 preferablyin the form of a'fiexible thin strip of wood covered with imitation'leather or other durable material, such as oilcloth, canvas or a material that will conform and harmonize with the finish of the top 3 of the automobile 1. Thistoprailextends from the rear bow 6 to a. point in proximity to the wind; shield 2 and said top-rail may be connected to the inner side of therear bowfi by a screw 10 or other fastening means. The material forming theexposed surface of, the top rail 9 is carried beyond the upper edge the jam 1 of the strip formingsaid rail in order to I To convert the automobilev body 1, pro

I shown in Fig. 3 this flap is adapted to en- V bers 16 and 18 will cooperate in providing a gage the inner wall of the top 3 and close, the space between the top 3 and the upper V edge of the top rail 9, thereby excluding air that would otherwise enter the upper portion of the top. 7

The front end of the top rail 9 is cut away and provided with side plates 14 cooperating with the cut away vportion of the top rail in forming a socket 13. This socket is. adapted to receive a portion of the upper end of a vertically disposed 1 front rail or stanchion, generally designated 15. By referenceto Figs. 2 and 4, it will be noted that this front rail is composed of three members 16, 17 and 18, the member 16 being adapted to extend into the socket 13 of the top rail 9. The members 17 and 18 are also covered with'material, similar tothe top rail, andgroove or guide way 22 in the front rail. The intermediate rail is formed by mem- V/ bers23, 24 and 25, the member 25 being interposed between the members 23 and 24' to serve as a spacer therefor and provide grooves or guideways 26 and 27 at-the side edges of the intermediate rail. T he members 23 and 24 are covered with a material similar to the top and front rails and the members 24 and 25are of a less length than the member 23, in order that the upper end of said member'may-extend into a socket 28 provided therefor in the lower edge of the top rail 9, the socket being formed by side plates and a cut away portion,-similar to the socket 13. V

The member 24 of the intermediate'rail has its lower ends slotted, as at 29, so as to 50 fit over the front iron 8, and the lowerend of said intermediate rail may be connected to the side of'the automobile body 1 by a screw 30 or other fastening'means.

A rear rail 31 is formed somewhat similar to the front rail so as to provide a groove or guideway 32, said rear rail having its members covered with material whlchrnaybe a part of a rear-side curtain 33 suitably con-' nected, at places indicated 35, to the inclined bow 7, the top 3, the top rail 9 and the automobile body .1. The rear side curtain 33 has a suitable window or transparent panel 34 and said side curtain, togetherwith fastening means 36 at the lower end of the rear rail cooperate with the automobile body in supporting the rear rail. "The upper end of the rear rail extends into a socket 37 inthe top rail 9, said socket being formed similar'to the other socket in said top rail.

The inner side of the top rail 9 is pro-1 .vided with brackets 38 for supporting the pintles of spring curtain shade rollers 39 'on which are placed rollable curtains that have the side edges thereof sliding in the grooves or guideways 22, 26 27 and 32 of the front, intermediate and rear'rails, Each curtain is composed of side; binder strips: 40,

a lower binder strip41, an intermediate binder strip 42, transparent panels 43 and 44, transverse reinforcement rods 45' 1 and members 46 and 47 in the binder strips 41 and 40' ,respectively to add a degree of rigidity thereto, particularly at the lower; end of each curtain. -With the celluloid' or transparent material formingthe panels 43 and 44 extending into the side binding strips 40, the curtains or shades can readily 'slidein the guideways or grooves provided therefor in the front, intermediate "and rear rails,

without any danger of the curtains or shades buckling or becoming accidentally displaced. V I

The lower ends Of 'l)h6 (}ll1'i}2tl1l$ or shades have the inner sides thereof provided with straps 48 extending through handles 49 of the curtains or shades,"saidstraps being riveted or otherwise fixed to the curtain'and' the ends thereof provided with snap buttons 50 so that the straps may be connected to the inner or outer walls of the automobile body or its doors.

As clearly shown in Fig.7, the innerend:

of the strap can be fastenedto the inner side wall of the'automobile bodyor a door carried thereby, so that the loweredge of the curtain or shade is drawn inwardly against the outer wall of the automobile body or a door thereof, thus preventing air;

from passing upwardly. at the edge of the curtain or shade into the automobile body. With'the outer strap adaptedto be secured to the outer wall of the automobile body, it is possible for the'occupant' of the automobile, afterleavingthe same, to close the curtain or shade and secure it in such position.

As some automobile bodies and the tops thereof have stream lines or curvedsides,

- the top rail 9 has been provided with a strap and buckle, designated 51, so that jthe top rail maybe slightlybent or flexed and connected to the front bow 4, thusjcausing,

the top rail to conform in outlinetolthe side a i of the top.

a In some instances, bedesire'd tous e a flap 52 above the curtain rollers 39 to iprevent air from passing between the top rail and the curtain rollers, particularly when. the curtains are lowered, ,Such a flaprlia's' been shown in Fig. 3.;as supported bylthe toprail.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the vertical rails provide stanchions or upright members that lend solidity to the general appearance of the inclosure, and as said stanchions or upright members. are

rigid, it is possible to easilyslide the cur talns or shades therebetween. With these curtain shades of large area visibility is not obstructed, and the top as an entirety has an appearance as though being'permaof the window shade rollers on the outer wall of the top rail, but so long as said curtain shade rollers are within the side walls of the top 3, practically the same result is attained as to appearance.

What I claim is I 1. The combination of top rails adaptedto be detachably carried by ,the top of an automobile and extending approximately from the windshield to the rear bow of said rollerscarried by said top rails, curtainson said rollers and slidable in said guideways and means for holding. said curtains when V top; front, intermediate and rear rails or uprights adapted to be connected to said top rail and provided with guideways,curta1n lowered. V

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, and wherein the front rails are provided with flaps adapted to engage with a windshield, and the rear rails are provided with side curtains.

" 3. The combination of top railshaving.

sockets, front, intermediate and rear rails having the upper ends thereof mounted in the socketsof said top rails and providing guideways, curtain rollers carried by 'the inner sidewalls of said top rails, curtains top. v p

' n testimony whereof. I aflix my signature on said rollers and having the side edges thereof slidable in the guideways of said front'and intermediate and rear rails, straps carried by the lower ends of said curtains and adapted for attachment to the inner and outer walls of an automobile body, flaps 3 7 '5. In a top inclosure carried by said front rails and adapted for engagement with a windshield, flaps-carried .bysaid top rails and adapted to engage an,

automobile top, and side curtains connected 1 ment to the automobile body.

4. In an automobile top the combination with top rails substantially co-extensive. therewith of front, intermediate and rear rails or uprights detachably connected to;

to said rear rails and'a'dapted fonattachf saidtop rails provided. with guideways, .11

flexible roller curtains supported on said top il rails, and adapted to have the side edges travel in said guideways, each curtain con- Sisting of e and bottom binder strips,

transparent panels havingportions extend 1 rod intermediatesaid panels and stiffening ginal edges of saidcurtains;

body, guides having the lower ends thereof terminating at or near the'to-p of theouter for an automobile wall of the automobile body, a curtain having side binder strips in the lower marginal f portion of r the curtain slidable in. said guides, flexible transverse members with the ends thereof adjacent the sidebinder. strips adapted to travel in said guides, and means on the'inner side of the curtain adapted to be attached to the inner wall of the automo bile body .to spring the middle portion of the curtain member against the outer wall of the automobilebody. v

6. 'An 'inclosure for an automobile body comprising a top having curtains, flexible top rails secured to said topand supporting said curtains, means intermediate the ends of said top rails and adapted for attachment to an automobile top to maintain said top '5. the automobile top, and flaps carried by the rails to seal the space between therails and.

rails flexed in conformity to the contour of in-thepresence of two witnesses. 3

a I SYLVESTER A. GATES.-

-Witnesses: I j

ANNA M. Donn, KARL H. BUTLER.

eoyffa 

